You may earn a maximum of 3 points toward your final grade by doing the above and answering the questions and submitting them on time (no later than Friday, September 15). Any worksheets submitted after the deadline will get a 0. You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammar and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Split Second. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
The play was written in the late 1900's but it seems timeless. The stasis occurs before Willis attempts to steal the car. The only other character introduced at this point is Val, a black police officer who attempts to stop the thief.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? Be careful when citing the intrusion, it may not be where you initially think it is.
I believe that the intrusion occurs in the conversation between Val and Parker. This is the point where Val begins his personal cover up of the story. This allows for the drama in the rest of the play to occur.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
The unique factor in this play is Willis attempting to steal a car on this day at this time.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
Will Val continue to lie? Will Val turn himself in? Will Val be able to follow through with his story?
5. Use Val to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what Val wants (NOTE: In Split Second the wants of Val are in flux and he is being swayed by his father, his wife, his friend, and his colleague at work. His wants seem to change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that the character encounters.
The first obstacle that Val faces is with Willis. This ends in Willis' death, and creates the drama for the play. Val then has to struggle with the guilt of killing a man. The interactions with all of Val's friends are also obstacles that can be considered me against another individual, but these conversations fuel his guilt of killing someone.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Split Second.
The beginning and the end of this play contain the most theatrical moments. The entire interaction between Val and Willis is a major theatrical moment. Also the end of the play where Val continues to lie about the murder.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Split Second. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
The image of a black cop shooting a white man is pretty powerful because it challenges the common societal problem of white cops shooting and killing black men. The lights dimming in the final scene is another important image and it shows the darkness behind Val's lying. The knife is also important because that allows Val to stick with his lies.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Split Second.
Race relations Discrimination Power Deceit
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Split Second?
The biggest factor of family that plays into the dramatic action in this play is Val and his fathers interactions. Rusty was disappointed in what his son had done as a police officer, and he wanted Val to turn himself in.
You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammar and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Split Second. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
The play was written in the late 1900's but it seems timeless. The stasis occurs before Willis attempts to steal the car. The only other character introduced at this point is Val, a black police officer who attempts to stop the thief.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? Be careful when citing the intrusion, it may not be where you initially think it is.
I believe that the intrusion occurs in the conversation between Val and Parker. This is the point where Val begins his personal cover up of the story. This allows for the drama in the rest of the play to occur.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
The unique factor in this play is Willis attempting to steal a car on this day at this time.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
Will Val continue to lie? Will Val turn himself in? Will Val be able to follow through with his story?
5. Use Val to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what Val wants (NOTE: In Split Second the wants of Val are in flux and he is being swayed by his father, his wife, his friend, and his colleague at work. His wants seem to change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that the character encounters.
The first obstacle that Val faces is with Willis. This ends in Willis' death, and creates the drama for the play. Val then has to struggle with the guilt of killing a man. The interactions with all of Val's friends are also obstacles that can be considered me against another individual, but these conversations fuel his guilt of killing someone.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Split Second.
The beginning and the end of this play contain the most theatrical moments. The entire interaction between Val and Willis is a major theatrical moment. Also the end of the play where Val continues to lie about the murder.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Split Second. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
The image of a black cop shooting a white man is pretty powerful because it challenges the common societal problem of white cops shooting and killing black men.
The lights dimming in the final scene is another important image and it shows the darkness behind Val's lying.
The knife is also important because that allows Val to stick with his lies.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Split Second.
Race relations
Discrimination
Power
Deceit
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Split Second?
The biggest factor of family that plays into the dramatic action in this play is Val and his fathers interactions. Rusty was disappointed in what his son had done as a police officer, and he wanted Val to turn himself in.